Wreath Making Workshop Saturday 12th December - in person and online

Join us for a wreath making workshop with a difference. We'll be giving away the materials you need for your wreath on Saturday 12th December from 10am until 1pm. Just book a slot to collect by messaging us. Then we'll be having a Zoom workshop at 2pm, so you can make the wreaths in the comfort of your own home!

We'll supply 

- either a ready-made willow or grape-vine wreath ring or willow rods to make your own

- some fir or spruce branches

- ivy

- holly

- a ribbon

- some other bits and bobs!

Materials are free but we'd appreciate any donation you feel you can make. 

If you'd like to book a slot for picking up materials, message below. If you can't leave your home for some reason, also let us know and we'll help get the materials to you if we can. 

The Zoom link for the 2pm workshop is HERE or if you prefer, message us for the meeting ID and code.

Get Your Stocking Fillers Here and Support Windmill!

If you're looking for some local Christmas gifts, we can help! Message us if you're interested in our fabulous jams and other gifts, or taking out or giving a gift membership of "Friends of Windmill Community Gardens". Click on each item for the price. If you're a "Friends" member, then you get 20% off the produce prices quoted here. Message us to order.

Get free seeds and concessions for workshops and much more. 

A Friends of membership is £11, £16 for a family and £40 for an organisation. 

A gorgeous crimson jelly that looks as good as it tastes. £3 or 2 for £5.

Members get 20% off. Made with Fair-trade sugar. 340g jar.

Beautiful lavender bags. A perfect stocking filler. £1.

Japanese quince membrillo - made with whole fruit to give a really full taste. It slices to make a perfect accompaniment for cheese and the ruby colour looks fantastic on a festive cheese board. £3, or £2.50 for Friends members. Made with Fair-trade sugar, and flavoured with organic lemon.

A delicious soft-set jam which works well on bread but also makes a wonderful topping for vanilla ice cream. It is named for its texture, so has no butter in it. Made with Fair-trade sugar, and flavoured with organic lemon and cardamom. £3 or 2 for £5. Members get 20% off. 340g jar.

Damson jam is always our most popular variety.

Made with Fair-trade sugar. £3 or 2 for £5. Members get 20% off. 340g jar.

Japanese quince membrillo - made with whole fruit to give a really full taste. This is spreadable but otherwise tastes the same as the slicing version. Membrillo is the original marmalade, so it's the perfect topping for breakfast toast. £3, or £2.50 for Friends members. Made with Fair-trade sugar, and flavoured with organic lemon.

Lovely on toast and amazing stirred into yoghurt. Apple butter is named for its texture and has no butter in it, just apples with cinnamon with a pinch of mixed spice. £3 or 2 for £5. Members get 20% off. 340g jar.

November's Cooking Workshop!

Join us for more foodie fun with Refugee Roots! On Wednesday 25th at 5.30pm, join us on a Zoom session to see the wonderful Sally (from Stripey Beetroot) make a delicious recipe. There will be a chance to chat and ask questions afterwards and we will make up ingredients packs for anyone who needs them - just let us know in a message and we'll add you to the list. 

Click on the link HERE to get the zoom registration page and to access all the previous recipe videos. You can also order one of the new cookbooks from Refugee Roots if you're looking for festive gifts!

Home Pumpkin Celebration Day 5 - Launch of our Free Pumpkin Recipe Book!

Welcome to Day 5 of our Home Pumpkin Celebration! Today, we are launching our Pumpkin Cookbook! This has all the recipes we're featuring in our videos and many more, even including a recipe for a face-mask! Note - that's a "mask" you slather on to your skin to make it smooth and soft, not something you wear to avoid spreading Corona round the shops! We're also hoping to run a final Zoom session tonight at 5pm, so see below if you'd like to register to find out more about the recipes, see how to watch the videos again and to find out how to make our favourite pumpkin soup. You can find the recipe book on our Windmill Group Page here, just join the group to see it - 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1327066264324389/

To register for the Zoom at 5pm, Friday 30th October, go here - https://www.refugeeroots.org.uk/Event/virtual-kitchen-friday

If you aren't on Facebook, just leave a comment and we'll help you get hold of the cookbook by other means!

Home Pumpkin Celebration Day 4 - First Recipe Workshop - Pumpkin Pancakes and Toffee Sauce!

 Today, we're linking with Refugee Roots again to bring you our second cooking workshop 

- pumpkin pancakes with toffee sauce!

Tracey will be part of a second Zoom Call at 5pm today, showing a video of her making the recipe in the her kitchen. She will be able to answer any questions you have, and after that, you'll be able to access the video at a link we'll post below. There will be a Zoom launch for a recipe video on Friday as well, at 5pm, but don't worry if you can't make it, as the recipes will be hosted afterwards on the Refugee Roots site.

If you'd benefit from being given the ingredients to help you make the recipe, you can apply for a recipe box - we have quite a number to give away. Comment under each of the posts if you are interested in the ingredients for that recipe. Happy cooking!

Pumpkin Pancake Recipe Zoom - sign up using this link. Scroll down to get an email with your invite to the zoom.

Home Pumpkin Celebration Day 3 - First Recipe Workshop - Pumpkin Risotto!

Today, we're linking with Refugee Roots to bring you our first cooking workshop 

- pumpkin risotto!

Tracey will be part of a Zoom Call at 5pm today, showing a video of her making the recipe in the Windmill Polytunnel. She will be able to answer any questions you have, and after that, you'll be able to access the video at the link below. There will be Zoom launches for recipe videos on Thursday and Friday as well, at 5pm, but don't worry if you can't make it, as the recipes will be hosted afterwards on the Refugee Roots site.

If you'd benefit from being given the ingredients to help you make the recipe, you can apply for a recipe box - we have quite a number to give away. Comment under each of the posts if you are interested in the ingredients for that recipe. Happy cooking!

Pumpkin Risotto Zoom Launch - sign up here to get your invite to the zoom.

Pumpkin Risotto Video

Home Pumpkin Celebration Day 2

Welcome to Day 2 of our Online Pumpkin Celebration.

Today we have the Advanced Pumpkin Carving Workshop for you. This is lead by Tracey who normally does our group pumpkin carving, so she's helped lots of people to get great results.

Watch the Videos to see the tools and techniques Tracey recommends, then have a look at the resources info for places to find the patterns if you need them. And remember to save the insides to make some of the lovely recipes we'll be sharing this week!

Great patterns here - many of them free -

https://www.pumpkinlady.com

https://www.stoneykins.com

The wood carving chisels are here (and in many other places!)

https://preview.tinyurl.com/y4bgkcub

Lino cutters

https://preview.tinyurl.com/yx92lgea

Hope you find it useful, and if you do, why not send us a photo of what you create. There are prizes for Primary, Secondary and Adult carvings!

Video 1

Video 2

Video 3

Home Pumpkin Celebration- Day 1!

Welcome to Day 1 of our Home Pumpkin Celebration!

Today we have the Beginners Pumpkin Carving Workshop for you. This is lead by Tracey who normally does our group pumpkin carving, so she's helped lots of people to get great results.

Watch the Videos and then have a look at the resources information below for ideas on where to get the kit you need and the patterns if you need them. 

Pumpkin carving workshop part 1

Pumpkin carving workshop part 2

Pumpkin Pile - is a great place to go for easy carving patterns that can look really impressive.

One of their pages HERE - has very easy patterns that you might even be able to draw on the pumpkin with a biro and will give you ideas for how to make a face look scary or funny.

Home Pumpkin Celebration Calendar of Events!

 

Home Pumpkin Celebration!

 

                               

 

                                LOCKDOWN AT WINDMILL GARDENS

 I'm lucky enough to be one of the four core volunteers who have been working away in the community allotment since the spring.  I say lucky, because it has got me out of the house, where I tend to listen to the radio all day long, including the news, and kept me healthy.  I decided that it was safest to travel by bike, so I have cycled the mile and a bit twice a week, every week, except when I took a short holiday in Great Yarmouth.  The weather has been kind to us too, there have been very few days when we have been "Rained Off".  We have been lucky to have Tracey finding out the Covid restrictions and finding ways to keep us working.  Social distancing doesn't always come naturally, but we have managed, and used many bottles of anti-bacterial hand gel.

                                 Tracey shovelling shit!               

     We started in April with a massive pile of manure, which we cleared very quickly, despite the fact that we had to work in shifts.  We were helped by Jeremy and Ash and Clare.  In fact, there have been many other volunteers coming and going over the past six months, including one of our older members, Brian, who is invaluable for those DIY jobs, Tammy who has a magic touch with Calabrese and Kale.  Mo, Durbah and Ayaan who have been watering regularly all summer.  Also Shahnaz, Zarifah, Mary, and Adam who have been with us briefly, the list goes on.  More recently, old volunteers like Stuart have been returning.  We also had help from three year old twins, whose sister is shown resting below.  They planted so much salad, that we have been making money selling it.  Because of all these visitors, including people coming to buy plants, we had to install a bell, made by a friendly Blacksmith - Gavin.  It can be heard at the far side of the allotment.

 

  The Bell                                                        

  

 

                                                       

                                      Rosie with salad trays                                                                                         

                                                                                                       

     

                       

                                                                       Our youngest volunteer                                                                    

    

One of the benefits of having fewer people around, is that you don't stop to talk so much.  Consequently more work has been done.  We have been really impressed by the amount of vegetables that we have produced.  In fact, we have been giving a lot away because we can no longer have our Thursday meal cooked by the lovely Zarifa, Mary, Shahnaz and Mo.  We have donated food to community meals and given some to the Sumac Centre food hub, in return for Time Credits and goods.  We have also been sending supplies to Mohi and Mohamed, who are isolating because they are expecting a baby very soon.  They normally grow their own at the allotment.

Of course we mustn't forget the lovely Clare, who has started up a new project working with people with mental health issues.  She runs a separate session for them, but is encouraging people to join our regular groups.  As we have all found out over lock down, gardening and being outside in the fresh air and greenery is one of the best cures for stress, depression and anxiety.

      Bryn hard at work!

             John making Comfrey "Tea"                                

                                                                  

Rosie Jarrett 30/09/2020

Wassail & Lohri Celebration 2020

Now that we've left 2019 behind, and darkest part of the Winter is past, we hope you'll help us to celebrate the returning life and light. As always, we’ll be mixing in elements of the Punjabi Lohri Festival with medieval traditions taken from Old Twelfth Night and other older ceremonies. On Saturday 18th January, from 1pm, there’ll be fires, drumming, fun and gorgeous food and we’ll make decorations to hang in the fruit trees as we wassail them (Wassailing is an old tradition to celebrate fruit trees to ensure a good crop in the coming year). 

We hope you can join us – please try to bring something to make noise with to help us wake up the trees! Also - if you could bring your own mug / bowl for drink / food and a spoon, that would help us no end as we don't have running water on site this time of year.
Free event but we always appreciate donations!

Happy New Year from Windmill Community Gardens!

Happy New Year from all of us at Windmill Community Gardens, and we hope that 2020 is a good one for you!

2020 sessions will start at Windmill on Monday 6th January, and we'll then be doing 10am - 1pm sessions on Mondays & Thursdays until Easter, when we'll re-start lunches and the afternoon session on Thursdays. We've got lots of fun activities planned, including our first event of the year - our celebration of Wassailing and the Lohri festival on Saturday 18th January - see next post for details!

And here is a new poem to mark the start of 2020 from our Allotment Poet Laureate, Stuart Vanner

New Year

Welcome in this fine new year,

For it has only just arrived.

In spite of worries you faced before

You came through it and survived.

So make it one of joy and pleasure

And find new ideas and new ambitions.

And know that you shall always cope,

And make successes be your mission.

Let it not be one of despair 

But one of joy for everyone.

And should you find a bore at times.

Turn it into one of thrills and fun.

So now look forward to the future

With many a resolution

And if at times life goes awry

Know you'll find the right solution.